200 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  30," 1900. 
Secretaries  of  All  Gardening  Mutual  improvement 
Societies  are  requested  to  send  the  address  and  title  of  their 
organisations  to  the  Editor  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  for  insertion 
in  the  coming  edition  of  the  “Horticultural  Directory,”  which  is  published 
at  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers,  Fleet  Street,  London,  at  the  beginning  of 
December. 
Death  of  Mrs.  Deonard  Sutton. — It  is  with  much  regret  that 
we  record  the  death  of  Mrs.  Leonard  Sutton,  wife  of  Mr.  Leonard 
Sutton,  of  the  well-known  firm  at  Reading,  at  the  very  early  age  of 
thirty.  The  news  of  such  a  bereavement  will  excite  general  sympathy 
in  horticultural  circles. 
Potato  Disease  In  Cheshire. — On  account  of  inclement  weather 
and  the  prevalence  of  much  blight,  the  Potato  disease  is  rapidly 
spreading  in  Cheshire.  Thousands  of  acres  are  affected,  and  so  bad  is 
the  disease  that  in  some  districts  the  crop  will  hardly  pay  for  raising. 
It  is  feared  that  half  the  tubers  will  be  spoiled. 
Shirley  Gardeners’  Association. — At  the  usual  meeting  of  the 
Shirley  Gardeners’  Association,  Southampton,  held  on  the  evening  of 
the  21st  of  August  (Mr.  B.  Ladhams,  F.R. H.S.,  chairman),  a  most 
interesting  lecture  on  “  Manures  in  Vegetable  and  Fruit  Culture  ”  was 
given  by  Mr.  F.  W.  E.  Shrivell,  of  the  Experimental  Grounds,  Golden 
Grove,  Tonbridge,  Kent.  These  experiments  have  been  tried  during 
the  past  six  years,  the  main  object  of  which  has  been  to  discover 
whether  there  is  economy  in  the  use  of  chemical  manures.  Mr.  Shrivell 
gave  results  therefrom,  as  compared  with  the  use  of  dung,  showing  the 
results  of  the  two  kinds  of  dressings  on  the  Cabbage  tribe,  on  fruit 
trees,  and  on  lawns.  Even  Strawberry  plants,  pot  plants,  and  Potatoes 
have  been  treated,  and  the  results  carefully  noted  and  compared.  The 
names  and  quantities  of  the  various  chemicals  were  given  with  extreme 
accuracy,  and  the  lecture  was  of  engrossing  interest  to  the  audience  of 
practical  men, 
Tbe  Engllsta  Arborlcultural  Society — Annual  Conference. 
— This  society  held  its  yearly  conference  meetings  from  the  14th  to 
17th  inst.,  at  the  Grand  Hotel,  Manchester.  On  Wednesday,  the  15th, 
about  150  members  and  friends  visited  the  nurseries  of  Messrs.  Wm. 
Clibran  &  Son,  Altrincham,  which  were  minutely  inspected,  especially 
the  forest  tree  departments,  and  the  general  opinion  was  that  the  time 
had  been  most  advantageously  spent.  Whilst  in  the  neighbourhood 
visits  were  paid  to  several  places  of  interest,  including  the  Dunham 
Parks,  by  kind  permission  of  the  Countess  of  Stamford  and  Warrington, 
where  some  grand  trees  were  measured,  and  in  several  oases  photo¬ 
graphed,  for  record  in  the  Society’s  Journal.  The  party  was  after¬ 
wards  entertained  to  luncheon  by  Messrs.  Clibran  &  Son,  to  whom  a 
hearty  vote  of  thanks  was  accorded.  In  the  evening  the  annual  dinner 
took  place  at  the  Grand  Hotel,  at  which  the  principals  of  Messrs. 
Clibran  &  Son  were  the  guests.  The  Lord  Mayor  of  Manchester 
honoured  the  company  by  his  presence,  and  responded  to  the  toast  of 
“  The  City  and  Trade  of  Manchester.”  Chatworth  and  Haddon  Hall 
were  visited  on  Thursday  and  Friday  respectively. 
Croydon  and  District  Horticultural  Mutual  Improvement 
Society. — The  August  meeting  was  held  in  the  society’s  room  at  the 
Sunflower  Temperance  Hotel,  George  Street,  Croydon,  on  Tuesday 
evening  the  2l8t,  Mr.  W.  J.  Simpson,  Falk  Park  Gardens,  presiding ; 
Mr.  E.  Mills,  The  Gardens,  Coome  House,  occupying  the  vice  chair 
Seven  new  members  were  elected,  and  the  new  programme  of  papers 
and  lectures  was  distributed.  Mr.  W.  Harris  (manager  of  the  seed 
department,  J.  R.  Box)  read  an  excellent  and  most  practical  paper  on 
“  Bulbs.”  Having  described  the  methods  of  cultivation,  propagation, 
and  harvesting  adopted  by  the  English  and  Dutch  trade  growers,  Mr. 
Harris  then  gave  a  selection  of  the  best  sorts  of  Hyacinths,  Tulips, 
Narcissi,  Lily  of  the  Valley,  Freesias,  Ixias,  Anemones,  Spanish  Iris, 
&c.,  and  the  treatment  of  each,  strongly  advising  early  planting  and 
the  use  of  good,  moderately  light  loam,  sand,  leaf  mould,  and 
thoroughly  rotted  manure.  In  the  discussion  which  followed,  Freesias 
coming  in  for  a  goodly  share  of  favour,  after  which  a  vote  of  thanks 
was  accorded  to  Mr.  Harris.  Mr.  Reddam,  Manor  House,  West  Wick¬ 
ham,  exhibited  some  fine  seedling  double  Begonias.  The  chairman 
announced  that  an  excursion  had  been  arranged  to  Horsham  to  visit 
the  gardens  of  0.  J.  Lucas,  Esq.,  Warnham  Court,  and  “  Leonardslee,” 
the  residence  of  Sir  E.  G.  Loder,  Bart.,  by  the  kind  permission  of  the 
gentlemen  named.  The  next  meeting  will  be  held  on  September  18th, 
when  Mr.  0.  A.  Blogg,  secretary  National  Cactus  Society,  will  read  a 
paper  on  “  Cacti  ”  of  the  U.S.A.,  Mexico,  and  California,  and  how  to 
grow  them. 
Grapes  In  Betbnal  Green. — It  was  stated  recently  that  in 
Pentonville  Road  there  was  a  Vine  with  180  bunches  of  .luscious  Grapes. 
Bethnal  Green,  it  would  seem,  can  improve  upon  this.  Mr.  G.  Bootle, 
of  104,  Gosset  Street,  states  that  at  the  back  of  that  house  (the  most 
thickly  populated  part  of  Bethnal  Green)  there  is  a  Vine  which  has  over 
450  bunches  on  it.  The  Vine,  he  adds,  stands  about  14  feet  high  and 
about  12  feet  wide,  and,  considering  its  size  and  position,  he  reckons  it 
takes  the  record  for  London. 
Cblrk  Horticultural  Society. —  Glorious  weather  favoured  the 
tenth  annual  exhibition  of  the  Chirk  Horticultural  Society  at  Chirk. 
The  district  comprises  St.  Martins,  Chirk,  Black  Park,  Pentre,  Chirk 
Green,  and  Newbridge.  The  objects  of  the  society,  to  encourage 
cottagers  and  amateurs  in  the  improvement  of  their  gardens  and  in 
fruit,  flowers,  and  vegetable  production,  appear  to  have  been  almost 
completely  attained,  considering  the  high  state  of  perfection  in  which 
the  1000  exhibits  were  regarded  by  the  judges. 
Potato  Buttons. — We  have  real  ivory  and  vegetable  ivory,  and  not 
many  years  since  the  threatened  ivory  famine  produced  that  remarkable 
imitation  we  know  as  celluloid,  which  has  been  successfully  employed 
for  every  possible  use,  from  billiard  balls  to  piano  keys.  To-day  the 
imitation  has  itself  been  imitated,  and  that,  too,  by  a  curious  prepara¬ 
tion  of  Potato  pulp!  The  inventor  is  a  Dutchman  named  Knipers. 
He  treats  the  waste  pulp,  itself  a  residue  from  the  manufacture  of  the 
artificial  Potato  flour,  with  a  solution  of  acid  and  glycerine.  The 
resulting  compound  takes  the  form  of  a  species  of  sbickfast,  which  is 
dried  and  ground  to  powder.  This  powder  is  moulded  into  blocks,  with 
the  aid  of  water,  very  much  as  one  uses  plaster  of  Paris.  There  is, 
however,  this  important  difference.  The  new  compound  can  be  cut  and 
turned  and  bored  and  used  for  every  purpose,  from  buttons  upwards,  in 
which  it  was  formerly  customary  to  use  bone  and  ivory. 
Fruit  in  Ceylon. — The  attempts  which  have  been  made  in  the 
past  to  cultivate  fruit  on  a  large  scale  in  Ceylon  have  not  been  of  so 
encouraging  a  nature  that  hopes  may  be  entertained  that  we  shall  see 
Orange  orchards  and  fields  of  Pines  filling  our  markets  with  a  cheap 
and  abundant  supply  of  two  of  the  best  fruits  Europeans  can  eat  in 
the  East.  Oranges  remain  scarce  and  dear,  which  might  in  the 
gardens  of  the  villages  around  Colombo  alone  be  grown  without  trouble 
and  in  abundance  to  fill  all  the  requirements  of  Colombo,  and  the 
constantly  increasing  number  of  steamers  and  ships  putting  into  our 
harbour.  It  is  possible  that  the  attempts  which  have  been  made  in 
the  past  to  cultivate  Oranges  on  a  large  scale  resulted  in  a  failure  on 
account  of  the  class  of  plants  chosen  not  being  best  suited  to  this 
climate,  and  whilst  it  is  most  desirable  that  better  strains  should  be 
introduced,  the  Oranges  which  are  in  small  supply  in  Colombo  are  not 
by  any  means  undesirable  in  quality,  but  the  quantity  first  requires 
attention.  The  Pines  usually  offered  for  sale  in  Colombo  are  of  a  very 
poor  description  yet,  what  Ceylon  can  do  in  the  shape  of  Pine  growing 
is  shown  by  the  delicious  fruit  to  be  secured  by  paying  an  increased 
figure.  We  are  rather  sanguine  that  w'ere  a  start  made  by  encouraging 
villagers  round  Colombo  to  plant  the  best  strain  of  fruit  trees,  the 
results  would  very  amply  repay  the  time  and  money  expended.— 
(“  Times  of  Ceylon.”) 
Meteorological  Observations  at  Cblswlck. — Taken  in  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens — height  above  sea  level  24  feet. 
Date. 
o 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
Temperature  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
9 
u 
1900. 
August. 
O'd 
^  .2 
(9  s 
At  9  A.M.  ' 
Day. 
Night 
.2 
‘cS 
At 
1-ft. 
deep. 
At 
2-ft. 
deep. 
At 
4-ft. 
deep. 
®  2 1 
tio 
•J  a  fi 
<s 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
03 
<9 
bfi 
S 
■s 
(9 
& 
O 
«  o 
H 
Sunday..  19 
s.w. 
deg. 
60T 
deg. 
59-.'5 
deg. 
77-3 
deg. 
51-9 
ins. 
deg. 
66-9 
deg. 
63-8 
deg. 
60  1 
deg. 
43-5 
Monday.  .20 
w.s.vv. 
627 
59-9 
74  T 
52-6 
0-07 
66-3 
63-8 
60-1 
!  45-5 
Tuesday  21 
\v  .y.  w , 
63-6 
60-3 
71-5 
56-2 
0-18 
65  9 
63-8 
60-1 
■  50-5 
Wed’sday  22 
w.s.w. 
62-8 
68-1 
67-8 
68-8 
0-28 
66-4 
63-8 
60-2 
i  55  3 
Thursday  23 
E.S.E. 
54-6 
53-5 
06*2 
48-3 
0-63 
62-8 
63-3 
60-2 
!  40-4 
Friday  . .  24 
s> 
6t>‘5 
60  0 
68-9 
49-8 
_ 
61-9 
62-6 
60-2 
:  42-8 
Saturday  25 
S.  vv. 
58*8 
6b ‘8 
65 '5 
48-9 
0-12 
62-0 
62-3 
60-2 
:  43-6 
Means  .. 
62*1 
. 
58-3 
70-2 
52-4 
Total 
1-18 
64-6 
!  63*3 
I 
60-2 
1 
'  46-9 
The  weather  during  the  past  week  has  been  generally  dull,  with 
only  two  fine  days.  The  rain  was  heavy  on  the  23rd,  and  on  most 
days  the  wind  was  very  strong. 
